Spring wheel



P. M. SCHNECKENBURGER.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 1110.23, 1920.

Patented May 9, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET A'ITORNEY P. M. SCHNECKENBURGER SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION mzn AUG.23. 1920.

Patented May 9, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2. v

PMflchnecAenbur egg- &

AIIORNEY ITNESS:

UNITED STATES PAUL M. SCHNlilCKENBURGER, (ll: WOIJGOKETT. IN]

' ANA.

SPRING 'WHEEL.

Applicati on f led a ugust To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL M. SCZHNIUECK unnrmenn, a Cltlftlfill of the United States,

siding; at Wolcott, in the county of White being engaged by springs which abut against opposite sides whereby to hold the spokes normally in radial position.

An important object is the provision of a spring Wheel oi. this character in which the outer rim member within which the spoke members are fastened has its inner periphery closed and the hub has its outer periphery closed except for elongated openings through which the spokes pass these openings being covered by slidahle arcuate plates through which the spokes pass and to which are connected springs.

An additional object is the provisionof a spring wheel of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, highly etlicient in use, durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of more fully described and clain'led and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which-- liigure J. is a side elevation oi? a constructed in. accordance with, my intern tion,

Figure 2 is a cross sectional View through a portion thereof showing it on a larger scale,

Figure 3 is longitudinal sectional View of the wheel taken-in a plane parallel. with the sides of the wheel,

Figure 4: is a cross sectional View taken between spokes,

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view through one of the spokes looking toward the outer rim, and

lligure 6 is a similar View looking toward the hub.

Referring more particularly to the d:|:'awings, I have shown the hub portion ot my tipecification of Letters lEatent.

construction to be l'lcreinaftcr Z1920. Serial No. 405,287.

wheel as corrunising a pair oi side plates it) having central holes and connected by a central cylindrical sleeve 11 within which any suitable ball bearing structure may be tired if d tired, or which may be pro vided with any suitable hub structure whereby to be secured upon a drive axle. '"he outer periphery the hub portion :iormed by the plates 10 is closed by a ring 192 formed at spaced intervals with openings 13. The numeral i l t mates the telly c t the wheel which is channel shaped and which provided with the usual lug strucniu'e F5 for holding in position a deinountable rim 16 carrying a solid rubber tire l7.

Disposed between the hub and telly portions are spokes designated broadly by the numeral 18 and. each spoke includes an outer portion 19 which is tubular located within the channeled folly l4. and the outer end is closed. Each spok member held. associated with the telly by means 01? a transverse bolt 20 which passes through the spoke member and through both sides oil? the telly. Slidable within each spoke member 19 an inner tubular spoke member 21 which has its outer end closed and which is provided in opposite sides with longitudinal slots engaged upon the bolt 20 whereby to permit telescopic movement of the members or sections and 21. Engaged between the 19 closed outer ends of the members or sections 1.9 and 21 are coil. springs 23 which :rli'mrd proper resilience to the wheel. The inner s 'iolre members extend between the hub plat 10 and are pivoted tl'u-zrebctween by bolts the inner spolrc members puss L the openings 18 in the r' and the spoke lnelnbem l9 pass tl'iroiurh sunilur openino's 333 in the llllff which closes the inner periphery of the telly.

In order to hold the spokes in radially extending position, I provide springs 27 which engage against the opposite sides of the outer ends of the spoke s ctions 19 and which also engage against abutn'ient shoulders ...8 Within the telly. Similar springs 29 are employed between the hub plates 1.0 and engage against the inner ends of the spoke sections 21 and against partition plates 29 between the spokes.

In order to close the openings 13 and 25 in the rings 12 and 26, respectively, I provide shutter plates corresponding in number to the number oi spokes and each shutter li uteiited ma 9, 1922.

plate 30 is formed with a central hole 31 snugly accommodating a spoke section 1.9. The ends of the plates 30 are engaged by coil springs 32 which operate to hold the plates in normal position and which of course tend to prevent movement of the spokes into any position other than radial. Mounted upon the ring 12 are similar shutter plates 38 engaged by springs 3 and which are for the purpose of excluding dirt from the hub and telly while not preventing the necessary movement of the spokes durthe travel of the wheel.

From the foregoing description and. a

study of the drawings, it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed and consequently inexpensive wheel which entirely obviates the employment of y the usual pneumatic tire without sacrificing resilience. Another feature is that punctures and blow-outs are of course impossible so that the cost in tire wear will be greatly reduced.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention of the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A spring wheel comprising a hub portion, a telly carrying a rim, telescopic spoke members enclosing springs and pivotally connected with the telly and with the hub memher, said pivot point being spaced from the ends of the spokes, springs engaging the outer ends of the spokes whereby to oppose circumferential movement, partition plates in the hub member between the SUCCGSSIVB pokes, and coil springs engaging; the inner ends of the spokes and said partition plates for assisting in opposing circumterentia1 movement of the spokes.

2. A spring wheel comprising a hub portion, a ielly carrying a rim, telescopic spoke members pivotally connected with the folly and with the hub member the felly being hollow and being provided at its inner periphery with an elongated slot at each spoke, an arcuate plate associated with each spoke and extending over and normally closing the associated slot, bracket members secured on the outer periphery oi the inner portion of the telly, similar bracket members on the ends ol? said plates, and springs interposed between the associated pairs of brackets for opposing circumferential movement of the plates and spokes.

3. A spring wheel comprising a hub, a telly carrying a rim telescopic spoke members pivotally connected with the itchy and the hub the felly being hollow and ha ring its inner periphery formed with an elongated slot for the passage oil each spoke, a u arcuate plate, associated with each spoke e.\- tending over and normally closing the associated slot, bracket members secured upon the outer surface of the inner peripheral wall of the telly, similar bracket members on the ends of said plates, springs interposed between the associated pairs oi. brackets, brackets secured upon the inner surface of one side wall of the telly at opposite sides of each spoke, and springs disposed between said last named brackets and the outer end portions oi the spokes.

In testimony whereof: I aflix my signature.

PAUL M. SCHNECKENBURGER. 

